i7 930 4GHz Temps

[ThorofThunder]

I finally built an i7 930 machine and have been trying my hand at overclocking this beast for the past week or so. It took me forever to find the right amount of voltage to get it stable, but I don't think it's right.

Here's what I've got so far. It's stable at 16 hours of Prime95 blend:
(ambient room temperature always hovers around 23-24 degrees C)

CPU-Z's CPU tab as well as my idle temperatures

CPU-Z's Memory tab

(BIOS settings not shown):
dram voltage: 1.6
qpi/vtt voltage: 1.355

I'm also running this i7 930 in a fully-stocked Antec 1200 with a push/pull Scythe Mugen Rev. 2 B (1600 rpm s-flexes on it).

I realize that i7 930 idle temps tend to run high while their load temps tend to run lower than expected, but these 40-45 idle temps are disconcerting, especially when considering that it took me a vcore of 1.298 to reach stability at 191x21. My worry: I've noticed a few people that do 210/211x19 to achieve 4GHz while requiring far less vcore--somewhere around 1.2-1.25.

Would it be better for me to switch to a multiplier of x19 and run up my BCLK to 210/211 while lowering my vcore for the same CPU speed but lower temps? Or just leave it the way it is. I've also re-sat my Mugen (temps were 3-4C higher before), and I'm pretty sure that's not a problem.

 

[MJinZ]

Looks good to me, especially since your Scythe Mugen 2 isn't exactly the greatest cooler.

 

[ThorofThunder]

Do you think a megahalems (lapped) would be a sound investment? I don't care for pushing this cpu to 4.2ghz too much (though if I did have a cooler like the megahlems with its solid repute, I might change my mind entirely).

One thing I'd be worried about, though, is which version of the megahlems to get and whether or not it would warp my motherboard.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I have had 4 different i7 chips and not one was stable @ 4ghz with 1.28v. 1.33v was the lowest. So as far as that goes your good. You can't believe everything you read. There's not a ton of stock voltage 4ghz overclocks out there. I have 2 megahalems in different computers and they don't bend motherboards.

 

[YBS1]

There is a lot of variation in these chips. If those mid 70's temps were your peak temps after stress testing you really don't have anything to worry about. For instance my chip runs crazy hot compared to most, however it clocks over 4.4ghz. I can get about ~3.8ghz under default voltage, but don't really need excessive voltage to hit 4.4. It was hot with a push pull Megahalems, and even under water now it's still hot compared to most chips. It's just a high leakage chip I suppose.

 

[GLeeM]

Idle temps seem normal. Are those Maximum temps shown from running Prime? If so they are good too.

My 920 did better with lower bclk and higher multi.
Can you get stable with lower vcore if you set 190x21?

 

[ew915]

If 4ghz is all you want, 2c or 3c won't matter much, getting another air cooler is a waste of time you would have to go water even then your major benefit would be the reduced sound signature.

 

[ThorofThunder]

Idle temps seem normal. Are those Maximum temps shown from running Prime? If so they are good too.

My 920 did better with lower bclk and higher multi.
Can you get stable with lower vcore if you set 190x21?

Yeah those were maximum Prime95 blend temps. (After 16 hours)

I can't get it stable with a lower vcore as 190x21. This is as low as it would work while stable.

I guess the consensus is that these temps are okay/good for an air cooler, especially the Mugen 2, and that since I'm not interested in 4.2 GHz there is naught to worry about. Thanks for the responses, guys.

 

[nyker96]

I think the temperatures are quite ok, doubt promeg can do better by more than just few degrees. as long as it's under 80C it won't burnt out :]

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

LinX
P95 Small & Large testing
Memtest HCI
Memtest86

 

[Shmee]

LinX
P95 Small & Large testing
Memtest HCI
Memtest86

agreed. Use linx to get maximum temps fo sho. Still, looks good so far. The vcore is fine, though I am wondering what you actually set it to in bios? Is it the 1.298 value? If so, that is a good vcore, and certainly a nice, low amount of vdroop!

 

[georgi984]

reading this post, i'll ask an side question on wich some of you may got an answer.
recently build a PC with I7 930 and motherboard Foxconn FlamingbladeGDI.
Mine default core voltage is set to 1.25v at the bios and there's no option to lower it.
Im running with the stock cooler and it's reaching 90C when crunching at Boinc.
Soo do i need beter cooler since i can't lower the voltage or is that temp OK?
btw the cpu isn't clocked.
thx for any reply's

 

[GLeeM]

crunching at Boinc.

If you plan to 'crunch' 24/7, a better cooler would allow for an OC and much better temps.

You already spent money on the board and CPU, the money spend on a good cooler isn't much when you consider that by overclocking you could increase your points per day by more than 25%!

 

[ThorofThunder]

agreed. Use linx to get maximum temps fo sho. Still, looks good so far. The vcore is fine, though I am wondering what you actually set it to in bios? Is it the 1.298 value? If so, that is a good vcore, and certainly a nice, low amount of vdroop!

It's 1.3250 if I remember correctly. With vdroop it maxes out at 1.296 in CPU-Z.

Temps have dropped since posting those pictures. It idles at 42 at the highest now; I guess the paste is finally setting in.

I don't like my qpi/vtt voltage, though. 1.355 is the first number in my bios that's highlighted in pink.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Sounds about right. BTW, don't worry about QPI/VTT. You can drop it if you wish but there's a lot of RAM chips out there (Elpida BBSEs?) that require a lot higher. I have Ripjaws and the Ripjaw forum at G.Skill recommends up to 1.60. I've seen Corsair and Patriot recommend up to 1.67v. The fact is these chips need it. You can't even boot at rated 2000mhz at 1.35. And even if you wanted 1.35, you're gonna drop down to 1200mhz or something. I've done the test and I freaked out and RMAed thinking my chips are defective.

I run at around 1.49 or something on 24/7. That's only 191x10 RAM.

Oh... you and I are running around the same settings actually. 4.01 ghz. I believe I'm at 1.325 volts or maybe 1.3375 volts. I can get 1 core to low 80s with LinX, but I don't worry about it. Gaming hardly brings me to that level.

@OP: I think you and I had very high expectations about the chip. The fact is after filtering HardOCP's list of 930s, only a few did make the 4ghz at like 1.25volts or something. For 24/7 I think our voltages are fine. I may have cracked it at sub 1.30 volts but that was an open air case. Many people test like that with their motherboard on their desk with no case. I expected a 0.02v bump or something once I moved it into a case with worse cooling. I think I broke 4ghz with 1.29 volts but I need 1.31-1.32 in a case.

My results:

 

[Dadofamunky]

I think those temps are well within the mainstream for idle temps with that kind of setup. If you're getting nice long Prime runs I'd say you're GTG. Lock that baby down, save the BIOS settings and run along for the next couple years!

 

[ZimZum]

@OP: I think you and I had very high expectations about the chip. The fact is after filtering HardOCP's list of 930s, only a few did make the 4ghz at like 1.25volts or something. For 24/7 I think our voltages are fine. I may have cracked it at sub 1.30 volts but that was an open air case. Many people test like that with their motherboard on their desk with no case. I expected a 0.02v bump or something once I moved it into a case with worse cooling. I think I broke 4ghz with 1.29 volts but I need 1.31-1.32 in a case.

I also had high expectations but can only get above 4ghz with my 930 if I disable HT. With HT the best it will do is 3.7ghz.

 

[aigomorla]

the only way your gonna get a low vcore 4ghz is if you RAMP up vtt.

But thats a quick way to kill your mem controller.

I7's can run 1.375VTT fine... I even have friends who load them @ 1.4V VTT 24/7.